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Description/Abstract

This study investigated learning, in normal-hearingadults, associated with training (i.e. repeated practice)on the discrimination of ongoing interaural time difference(ITD). Specifically, the study addressed an apparentdisparity in the conclusions of previous studies, whichreported training-induced learning at high frequenciesbut not at low frequencies. Twenty normal-hearing adultswere trained with either low- or high-frequency stimuli,associated with comparable asymptotic thresholds, orserved as untrained controls. Overall, trained listenerslearnt more than controls and over multiple sessions. Themagnitudes and time-courses of learning with the lowandhigh-frequency stimuli were similar. While this isinconsistent with the conclusion of a previous study withlow-frequency ITD, this previous conclusion may not bejustified by the results reported. Generalization of learningacross frequency was found, although more detailedinvestigations of stimulus-specific learning are warranted.Overall, the results are consistent with the notion thatongoing ITD processing is functionally uniform acrossfrequency. These results may have implications for clinicalpopulations, such as users of bilateral cochlear implants.